Method or process of compressing air.



W. K. RICHARDSON.

METHOI PROCESS OF GOMPRESSING AIR APPLICATION FILED JUNE 25, 1907.

916,019, Patented Mar. 23, 1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

W. K. RICHARDSON.

METHOD 0R PROCESS OF OOMPRESSING AIR.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 25, 1907.

Patented Mar. 23, 1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

w iwsses W. K. RICHARDSON.

METHOD OF. PROCESS OF GOMPRESSING AIR.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 25, 1907.

91 6,0 1 9 v Patented Mar. 23, 1909.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

' pressing air to one hundred pounds and,

To all whom it may concern:

WILLIAMK. RICHARDSON, OF LEAVENWOltTli, KANSAS.

anion.

Mari-ion, on rnoonss' OF oonrnnssme' MB.

- Application filed June 25, 1907. Serial No. 386,825.

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM K. ltiorinnnsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing I at Leavenworth, inthe countyof Leavenworth and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods .or Processes ofCompressing Air,

of Whiohthe followin is a specification.

This invention re ates, to a process or 'method of compressing air in. a revolving receptacle bythecentrifugal force of a nonelastic liquid, and my object is to evolve a,

process or method wherebyair can be compressed to a greaterdensity than the atmosphere at a comparatively small expense,

within a. small space per unit of power, at a comparatively small expenditure'of mechanical power, and with a' nin'imum attention,

on the part of the operator. With apparatus ,ei-nploying this principle or process, the l'our princi )al sou-rcesol' loss. in air compressors are e1t or entirely oven come orgreatly reduced. These sources of loss are: l F1rst.'Increase of temperature and therefore reduction of weight oi" air admitted to the compressor; .In any compressor," conihaving'aconstant temperature of 120 de- ,grees and admitting air atsa sixty degrees normal, the air is expanded by heat before compression takes place, so that a cylinder full of air at a temperature of. 120 represents about nine-tenths of the quantity or Weight of air the cylinder would contain at This means'not only a loss of 10% in the GlllClGIlCYOf the compressor ,but a corre-i sponding loss of power, for it requires the same power'to compress tlns heatedvolume of air 90% in Weight that it does to compress the same volume of air at normal temperature.

second Heatingof, the air during compressionand the greater force required for the compression on accountof-tlns heating due to the difference between the mean average pressure per stroke, compressing air isothermally and adiabatioally.

'lhrr'd.-l lr1ct1on,, this seldom ranges as low as 5% and such results are only obtainedin compressors of large units.

Fourth.Clearance space. This source is recognized as a. source of loss, as it is an expenditure of powerwithout result in com.- pound relation to the'clearance space to -the Specification of Letters Patent.

' delivery stroke, and the line 11-411 of -Fi Patented March as, 1909f losses enumerated above. 4

With these objects in view, this invention consists certain novel and peculiar features of'const'ruction and the utilization of "certain laws of physics a hereinafter described and claimed and in order that it may be fully understood reference. is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a c-entral vertical section of'an apparatus for carrying out my invention,

eupperpart of the apparatus and the imp ellenwheel vanes being shownin elevation.

ig. 2,.is a'horizontal section taken on the v I. but showingthe top part of the'impeller wheel broken away to expose the arrangement of the vanes the nozzles to discharge waterinto the passages between the vanes. Figf3, is a sectionon line 'IIIIII of Fig.1. Fig. 4, is a sectioi'i on line IVIV of Fig. 1;. Fig. 5, is a horivanes. Fig. 6, is a vertical section of one of said vanes. Fig. 7, is a perspective view of one ofthe vanes. Fig. .8, is a modification of this devioe'diilering' in construction,- but employing involved'in Fig. 1..

. zontal section of anumber of the impeller the same general principles Inthe said drawing, thev base or water chamber comprises the base plate 1, and the superposed cap 2, bolted or otherwise secured together, the base plate having a central threaded opening 3 and an internally threadedring 4,-the internal diameter of 'the ring exceeding that of opening 3,-'an'd' secured at its lower end in ring 4 concentrically of; openmg 3 s a vertical cylindrical shell 5 surrounded by and spaced from the packing gland 6' carried by and at the upper side of'cap 2, andclamping down-upon said cap. the gasket 7.

8 indicates a cylinder mounted upon and secured with a water-tight relation to cap 2., and .9 is' thatop plate of-the cylinder, the

"samebeing connected with the interior of Shell -5 by a series of radial in the water chamber.

11 indicates a central opening in top plate pipes 10 arrangedl) and 12 indicates a cross-shaped bridge lboltedto the top plate and'pr'ovidedwith a hub 13 and a wear ring 14 in the upper end of the hub, said. hub; and ring forming a journalfo'r the reduced lower en'djof avertical shaft 15, the upper or non reduced portion of the shaft resting endwise' the wear imparted to said shaft through the medium' of a belt wheel 17 18 indicates a collar keyed upon the lower 40 indicates a cylindrical casing arranged concentrically around and spaced from the outer ends 01' the vanes and secured to and forming a water-tight joint with bottom disk end of the belt wheel shaft and extending througl'i opening 11 and provided within the cylinder with an enlarged base 1.), and'an upwardly disposed shoulder 20 against. which a gasket 21 is clamped by an adjustable packing gland 22, said gland forming a ournal for the collar 18. Secured igidly to the base 19 of the collar is an impeller wheel for revolving in the cylinder and said wheel constructet'l as follows: v

2-3 indicates a disk having its periphery beveled upward and inward, and 24 a second disk below and of slightly-greater diameter than disk 23 and centrally perforated to fit around shell 5, a sleeve 25 depending from the bottom disk 24, beinmjournaled on said shell and in tlre packing g described.

26 indicates a plurality of curved vanes which'taper toward their inner ends so as to provide the interposed thin vertical passages 27, the inner ends of the vanes at their concave sides being channeled to provide flared months 28 for the inner ends of passages 27, and their outer ends at both sides \beveled to provide flaring discharge ends 29 for such passages, as shown most clearly in Fig. 5. Each vane 1s channeled out at its concave 1 side as at 30 to reduce its weight and said channel is bridged by a curved plate 31 and extending Vertically through the vanes and secured to the .top and bottom disks are bolts 32.

33 indicates a vertical air tube screwed at its lower end into opening 3 and provided at an suitable point desired, with a check 'va ve 34 which will open and admit air into the cylinder when a partial vacuum is created in the chamber formed by and between the inner ends of the vanes .of the impeller wheel, the said tube being disposed axially of the impeller wheelahd communieating with the space at the inner ends of the vanes thereof through the shallow chamber 35 formed in the lower side of disk 23.

36findicates an annular flange irojecting outward from the upper end of tube 33 and depending from the outer edge of said flange is a cylindrical shell 37 externally embracing,

and resting on the upperend ofshell 5 and forming in conjunction with said shell 5 the outer wall of an annular chamber 38v communicating with the inner ends of the waterpipes 10, the said shell 37 being provided with vone or more outwardly projecting spouts 39 'which'successively register with te mouths of passages 27 of the impeller wheel as the latter is driven in the directionindicated by the an'ow'Fig. 2.

and 6 hereinbefdre 24 and provided with an upwardly tapering or conical portion 41 surrounding and paralleling the tapered edge of disk 23, bolts 42 extendlng through'said casing and into the outer ends of a number olthc vanes in order to provide and maintain at the outer ends of the vanes an annular water chamber -13 with a deflected upper portion '44, the form of the water chamber being such as to maintain an equilibrium between the force produced by thec entrifugal action of the water in the impeller wheel and the pressure of the air in the compression chamber or cylinder as herein after referred to. 4

45 indicates a pipe leading from the cylinder to an air receiver, not shown, and adapted to be equipped with a check valve toprevent back flow of air when the impeller wheel is not in operation, 46 is an inlet, 47 a water discharge pipe communicating wit-l1 the water chamber .of the base, the circulation of water through said pipes and the base being to cool the water in pipes 10:

Now assuming the air within the co1nprcssion chamber to be at normal pressure, cooling pipes filled, water reservoir in the compression chamber flooded to a level of the bottom part of the impeller disk, and inner chamber of impeller disk sufficiently filled with water to rime or fill the water discharge casing, ant power ap )licd to impeller disk. It being noticed that the up ward and inward inclined portion 44 provents the discharge ofwater u )ward therethrough unless the uantity ol' water is in excess of the capacity of chamber 43, in which event the excess or surplus water will overflow at the top of the impeller wheel, this construction being necessary to retain the water over the ends of the impeller vanes, and to obviate the necessity of immersing the impeller-disk below the surface of the water. I r

The revolvin impeller-disk forces the water through t 1e vanes filling the casing in which they discharge, the flow of' water creates a'suction or partial vacuum in the inner chamber of the i1npeller-disk,- and a corresponding rise of pressure in the com pression chamber, this causes the water'to flow from the com )ression chamber through the s outing nozzle into the buckets of the impel er vanes. The air inlet valve opens owing to this vacuum, and as the buckets o the vanes pass the nozzle they are filled with water which is ejected b centrifugal force into the'passages, and ii ling them in cross section, and forming successive moving plugs or liquid pistons which confine the air between them and the air previously confined in the impeller vanes, is ejected into the comforce is just a in said receptacle by means of passage therefrom of ,yvhich some point of" elastic fiuid at a high equal to the-weight of the water in the vanes per unit of area lncross-scction, times the centrifugalforce'produced by the velocity of the impeller,

the/last one, to'entjer the causes a pre the charge a impeller vanes onderance of pressure, and as a greater impetus.

2 From the foregoin it is determined that I have evolved a' met od of compressing an efficiency in cost of me chanical power, and for compressing over-a great range of volume and variation of pressure required at constant speed.' That the first and second sources of loss in air compression previously mentioned, by this method of compression are almost entirely overcome, as

there are no'heated passages for the air to enter through, and the great amount'of c0oling surface exposed'duringcompression. The th rd source of loss is reduced to a minimum as there are no reciprocating, rubbing. or wearing lugs, and the absence of heat from the com .pressor makes perfect lubricationlof this'bearing ossi'ble. The fourthsource of loss isentire overcome, as a full charge of air is admitted,co ressed, and absolutely delivered.

The im eff parts wit in the casingis not herein specif ically claimed, 'thesjamebeing shown and specifically claimed i1'1.my co-pending ape Nov. 11, 1907.

what I claim as new Letters Patent, is

1. The process of compressing air, which conslsts .1n adm ttlngalr into a revolvm receptacle between a body ofwater admitte under pressure te; said-receptacle at its in take, whereby it will form a li%uid piston therein, and a body of water con ncd withthe outer wall of such passage is less removed from the center of the rece tacle than the point of the innerwall of t thest from the center of the receptaclej and of subjecting the air admitted to the receptacle, to the pressure of the water admitted at the intake to said receptacle, due to centrifugal force; and through the water in said outlet passage into an air and water chamber. Y

2. The process of compressing air which consists in admitting air into a revolving receptacle between a body of water admitted under ressure to said receptacle at its intake where y it will form a liquid piston therein, and a body of water confinedwithin said it being underst'oodthat this" balanced by .reslstance 1n the. OOIHPI'OSSIOH" chamberuntil anew-charge or vances it overcomes the resistance bv the fact of its own pressure and that parts, except the shaft and its bearer which consists of the rotating.

centrifu alforce and ex receptace through the-hquid seal, the seal an .outlet' e passage farof expelling such air.

said revolving receptacle .b

passage point of the outer -wall of such passage'is less removed from the'center of the receptacle than the pomtjol' the inner wall of the'passage farthest from the center of the receptaoleyand of subjecting the air admitted to the receptacle, to the pressure of water admitted at the intake to the rece of ex el ing. such air into an air and water cham er ;..and "of maintaining the supply of water-admitted at the intaketo said revolving receptacle, by the pressure of the air in sald chamber. r

3. The process of compressing air which tacle, due to centrifugal force; and I consists in admitting a1r into a revolving receptacle between a body of water admitted at the intake to said receptacle und er pressure, wherebyit willlform' a li uid piston therein, and a body of water con ed within said receptacle by means of an outlet passage therefrom which extends from points more removed, to points less removed from the centerof the receptacle as to constitute a liquid seal at said outlet, subjecting the air to the pressure of the water admitted, due to' centrifugal force and expelling it from the receptacle, through the liquid seal. 4

4. The process of compressing 'air which consists in admitting air into a revolving rece tacle between a body of water admitte fie intake to said receptacle under pressure, whereby it will form therein, even when the receptacle is revolving at high speed, and a body of water con fined within said receptacle by means of'an outlet passage therefrom which extends from omts more removed to g from the center of t e receptacle, thereby constituting a liquid'seal at said outlet in position to resist backward flow of air to which itis subjected, subjecting the air to the pressure of water admitted, due to elling it from the being'replenished and maintained against losses by the water admitted as the latter reaches the outer port of the receptacle.

5. The process'of compressing air which consists in admitting air and Water into a revolving receptacle contained within a hollow shell, confining the air between a body of water admitted under pressure at the intake, and a'liquid seal established within the discharge end of said revolving receptacle, subjecting the air ressure due to centrifugal force, and arms ing the air and water admitted through the liquid seal into the hollow shell and replenish ng and maintaining the flowof water admitted to the pressure imposed on the water by the air compressed.

6. The process of compressing air which consists in admittingair and water into a revolving receptacle which is provided with oints less repassages in which compression of the air ocof water admitted to said revolving recepcurs' said receptacle contained within a 5 tacle by the pressure imposed on the water hollow shell, confining the air by a body of E by the air compressed. water admitted under iressure at the intake i In testimony whereof I aflijr my signature, of said riassages and a, ligulfil seafl estsfiblished in the presence of two Witnesses.

wit iin't 1e discharge en t ereo su jecting the air to pressure due to centrifugal force ;v VILIJIpdl/I RICHARDSON and expelling the sir and water admitted witnesses:

through the liquid seal into the hollow shell, l G. Y. THORPE,

10 and replenishingvand maintaining the flow H. C. RODGERS. 

